European Avalanche Warning Services

The European Avalanche Warning Services (EAWS) is a cooperation of national, provincial or regional agencies in charge of avalanche warning. Its primary purpose is to support its members in preventing loss of life and damage due to avalanches by providing society with efficient and effective avalanche forecasting and warning services. EAWS develops standards, best practice guidelines and recommendations, exchanges expertise, promotes staff training, fosters cooperation between neighbouring services, and enhances communication about avalanche danger through avalanche bulletins, new forecasting products and common standards and terminology.

The cooperation between national, provincial or regional agencies in charge of avalanche warning (Avalanche Warning Services – AWSs) is important to improve public avalanche safety. AWSs have been forming the European Avalanche Warning Services (EAWS) since 1983 in order to exchange ideas, experiences and operational procedures for avalanche forecasting programs; develop standards, shared rules and regulations for such activities (e.g. the European Avalanche Danger Scale, the auxiliary "Bavarian Matrix"); develop criteria, structure, and graphical output guidance of the forecasting products, delivered to different types of users; and improve the efficiency of operation and foster the skills of forecasting staff. EAWS commits to liaising with reliability and honesty and to establishing a knowledge-based consortium. The Members of EAWS strive for providing the best service at the lowest cost. A Memorandum of Understanding was established to further strengthen the cooperation among the European AWSs.

1. 1EAWS – European Avalanche Warning Servicesavalanches.org
2. 2About EAWS – EAWSavalanches.org
3. 3Memorandum of Understanding – EAWSavalanches.org